What do you see? Our brains are highly developed to relate with the visual world. Our sense of hearing is also well developed. There are other senses that our brains are designed to help us relate with and interact within the world around us, but one sense is also highly developed. The thing is, you have to train yourself to use this sense appropriately and therefore to use it to “see.” I am talking about our feelings, emotions, and the limbic system of the brain. There is a difference between what you see with your eyes and what you see with your feelings and emotions. Emotions are our potato detectors. Potatoes represent ideas of right and wrong, or injustice. We are interested to train ourselves to “see” the potatoes in the world around us!
Of course, we know the potatoes are there, but most of the time, we do not see them. Instead, we get overrun by our visual system and relate with what our eyes see instead of what our feelings and emotions see. This scene from the movie Patch Adams is an example of what I am talking about, that is, learning to see beyond the limits of our visual world:
In an earlier scene from the movie, Patch relays his life story to the psychiatrist from whom he seeks help. Patch bears his soul, but notices that the psychiatrist is not really listening. Whether he realizes it or not, Patch is aware of a potato, which in this case we could possibly label as “lack of connection” or “not listening.” Patch is aware of an injustice. He manages his potato by making up stories that we as observers are aware are ridiculous, but the interviewing psychiatrist does not catch it:
Is Patch aware of the difference between potatoes and people? We cannot know for certain in this scene, but after he makes connection with fellow patients, it becomes apparent that he does not consider people to be potatoes, including himself, and he is energized and motivated to make his life be consistent with this constructive mindset:
The “connection” that Patch refers to has to do with tapping into the “social” or “spirit” dimension of what is means to be human. Forming the constructive mindset enables us to accept ourselves and others, and therefore to make connections. When we accept ourselves, others, and connect with others, the fulfillment we derive is like food, that is, spiritual food. Loneliness, on the other hand, is spiritual starvation, a time when we do not sense that connection.
What about us? What do we see? Do we know the difference between people and potatoes? It may be that the story of the Samaritan is a way to illustrate the question of whether we consider people to be the potatoes or are able to separate the two. View this illustration of the story as found on You Tube:
After the man is violated, and the first two people who walk by see him, we notice they merely observe him and his situation and then keep walking by. Do they think he is a potato? Do they think he did something wrong to deserve what happened to him? Are they worried about their own safety or other issues if they get involved in helping the man? We are not told what they think, but we do know that, by their actions, they are likely dealing with the situation and their role within a destructive mindset. The Samaritan, by contrast, honours the wounded man as a person and decides to help him manage the potato of being physically injured and unable to look after his own needs. Notice the Samaritan does not take responsibility for the victimized man’s potato; rather, he assists him in dealing with it.
What are the consequences of not knowing the difference between people and potatoes? Some consequences are profound; others are subtle. Either way, we are interested to get involved with mental fitness training, that is, to train ourselves to form the constructive mindset and be aware of constructive psychology. It is fulfilling to learn to use emotions to “see” potatoes, and therefore to be aware that people are not potatoes. We become able and hopeful to address and do something about the potatoes in our world; to be compassionate and loving.
Please view the following documentaries and promos that were found on You Tube, as illustrations of potatoes that affect people in our world, and of what knowing the difference between people and potatoes can do to be a difference maker. Take your pick which video(s) to watch, or view them all:
Doctors without borders promo:
World Vision promo:
Vancouver East Side documentary:
International Justice Mission promo:
Each video shows situations in which a person is, or people are, affected by potatoes. Potatoes can come in various forms, and these videos address “big” potatoes. We see examples of how the potatoes are managed: some destructively, some constructively. The question is: what do you see? Do you only see the person or people affected, and relate with them as if they are the potato? Or, do you see the person or people affected, see the potatoes they are affected by, and relate with the people respectfully, in the context of the potatoes that affect them?
What do you see?
(The You Tube content is used for illustrative purposes only. The views and opinions within the videos is not necessarily that of Edmonton Emoti-Games Ltd.)